TVA Gives Update On Douglas Lake Cleanup

Last night at the Jefferson County High School Gymnasium, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and the TVA hosted an open house to give an update on the cleanup that has been ongoing on Douglas Lake. To date, the TVA says they have collected 30,000 cubic yards of debris from Douglas Lake. The debris cleanup has involved clearing debris from the water, as well as cleaning up debris that was left on the shoreline in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The French Broad, Pigeon and Nolichucky Rivers all combine to form, Douglas Lake just north of Newport. Since all three of those rivers originate in North Carolina, where there was also devastating flooding, debris from North Carolina and several of the affected counties in East Tennessee eventually wound up in Douglas Lake. The TVA has utilized barges to help in the cleanup by loading up the wood and burnable debris and taking it to a location where it is then burned.

TVA officials say that crews have found whole trees, furniture, appliances and even a whole shed in the lake. The cleanup is continuing, but the TVA says the end is in sight as they expect to finish cleanup efforts by sometime in June.